This man was captured on surveillance video during the vandalism of the Al Salam Mosque in Fort Smith

Advertisement

Three men were seen on surveillance video walking up to the Al Salam mosque on S. 28th Street at 5:12 a.m. Thursday. They spraypainted hateful messages and symbols the front signs, front door, windows and garage.

The messages included several swastikas, "Go Home," "USA," "F___ Islam," "F___ Allah," and "Go Back to Your Country."

Hisham Yasin, a member of the mosque and the owner of a local car dealership, talked to 40/29 News. He said he moved to the United States from Syria, and has lived here for 20 years.

“We’ve been here 35 years and we’ve never had problems like this," Yasin said. “This time they do like this, writing with pen but next time they attack our mosque?"

Yasin believes the people who wrote the messages took their inspiration from a presidential campaign.

“I think this issue came after Mr. Trump starts talking about Islam, about how he hate Islam and how he’s going to deport Muslims."

Sgt. Daniel Grubbs with the Fort Smith Police Department told 40/29 the men in the video could face harassment and criminal mischief charges. The FBI has joined the investigation into the vandalism, Sgt. Grubbs said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations had called on the FBI to join the investigation about the vandalism earlier in the day.

“Given the recent spike in anti-mosque incidents nationwide, and the targeting of Islam and Muslims in the presidential campaign, we urge the FBI to add its resources to the investigation of this case,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper in a media statement.

Vandalism from the Fort Smith Islamic Center discovered on Thursday.

Similar messages were discovered at the Fort Smith Islamic Center on Albert Pike Ave. Thursday as well. Sgt. Grubbs said police had not received a report about that location.